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Aloe ferox

Cape Aloe - Aloe ferox
Cape Aloe - Aloe ferox
Cape Aloe - Aloe ferox

Common names: Cape aloe, bitter aloe (English); umhlaba, ikhala (Xhosa); inhlaba (Zulu); bitteraalwyn, Kaapse aalwyn, bergaalwyn (Afrikaans). 
Botanical name: Aloe ferox

Aloe ferox, also known as bitter aloe or Cape aloe, is a well-known South African plant with a long history of medicinal use. It is a tall single-stemmed aloe that can reach 2-3 meters in height, with dull green leaves arranged in a rosette and a large candelabra-like flower-head carrying many flowers in colors ranging from yellowy-orange to bright red. This plant is an excellent garden specimen and is adaptable to many conditions, attracting various bird species and insects. It is most famous for its medicinal qualities, with the bitter yellow juice just below the skin being harvested for its laxative properties and the gel-like flesh from the inside of the leaves used in cosmetic products.

Uses & Benefits: cosmetics, food, medicine, pot plant, small garden, tea, water-wise, wind tolerant

All Plant Profiles

Nature & Cultivation

Family: Asphodelaceae
Type: succulent
Vegetation type:  
Flower colour: orange
Flowering season: Winter
Plant-animal interactions: bees, birds, butterflies
Red list status: Least Concern

Light-level: full sun, semi-shade
Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Soil pH: 
Propagation: cuttings, seed

Use as Medicine

Safety: allergic contact dermatitis, alter absorption of oral drugs, caution in long-term use

Herbal traditions: British, Cape Dutch, Cape Herbal Medicine, Khoi & San
Plant parts used: leaf gel, leaf latex, leaves, roots

First-aid use: abrasions, arthritis, boils, bruising, burns, constipation, eczema, insect bites, obesity, poor appetite, ringworm, sinusitis, stomach ache, stress, wounds 
Medical use:  
Veterinary use:  

Plant qualities: 
Plant actions: anthelmintic / vermifuge, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-pruritic, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, laxative, vulnerary
Phytochemical constituents: alkaloids, aloctin A, aloctin B, aloeresin, aloesin, aloin, anthraquinone glycoside, flavonoids, flavonols, glucomannans, glycoproteins, mannans, phenols, polysaccharides, proanthocyanidins, saponins, tannins

Plant preparations: compress, decoction, gel, infusion - aqueous, poultice, powder, resin, wash

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